Talking Points

Talking Points

Describing The Mission Continues

The Mission Continues is a national non-profit organization supported by thousands of Americans who all believe that we can empower this generation of veterans to successfully reintegrate while at the same time building stronger communities.

The Mission Continues empowers veterans facing the challenge of adjusting to life at home to find new missions. We redeploy veterans in their communities, so that their shared legacy will be one of action and service.

Describing The Mission Continues Program

Within our veterans, there exists a remarkably deep and consistent desire to serve others. The Mission Continues harnesses that strength and empowers veterans to serve their country in new ways through two action-oriented programs.

The first, The Mission Continues Fellowship Program, utilizes veterans’ strengths, skills and their compassion and empowers them to serve in their community on a daily basis. The second, The Mission Continues Service Platoons, brings teams of veterans working together at the local level to build stronger communities.

Describing The Mission Continues Service Platoons

The Mission Continues deploys Service Platoons nationwide to engage all generations of veterans to tackle difficult missions such as homelessness, hunger and illiteracy at the local level.

Platoons operate in teams of 50 to 100 veterans, active duty and guard or reserve service members who work together to achieve a goal in their community.

Launched in 2013, there are now Service Platoons all over the nation, such as Phoenix, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Diego and Orlando. We currently have 30 Platoons in communities all over, with the goal of launching dozens more in the upcoming year.

Describing The Mission Continues Fellowship Program

Through our Fellowship Program, The Mission Continues awards six-month community service fellowships to post-9/11 veterans.

The Mission Continues provides these veterans with practical tools for success. From a renewed sense of purpose to leadership within an action plan, veterans who join the team get the support it takes to reach their full potential.

Veterans serve for 20 hours a week at a local non-profit organization addressing key educational, environmental or social issues.

Each Fellow works to achieve two objectives at the conclusion of the fellowship: full-time employment or pursuit of higher education, and a permanent role of service.

Describing How People Can Get Involved

Go to www.missioncontinues.org for more information.

Serve. Serve as a Fellow, a Platoon Member, or serve alongside veterans at a Mission Continues Service Project in your community.

Invest. Every donation to The Mission Continues empowers veterans to serve their country in new ways.

Promote. Let your friends, neighbors and the veterans in your life know that there is a way for veterans to successfully reintegrate while at the same time building stronger communities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is The Mission Continues launching Service Platoons?

Since 2007, The Mission Continues has empowered thousands of veterans to continue serving their country in new ways. We believe veterans are assets and we treat them that way. We provide tools, training, and support so that veterans can help build stronger communities. Veterans who serve with The Mission Continues take on new missions here at home. They watch each other’s backs and help other veterans who’re struggling. They make a difference one project at a time, one neighborhood at a time, and together they’re showing the country just how valuable veterans can be.

What is a Service Platoon?

Service platoons are action-oriented, service-minded teams of veterans who have joined together to pursue new missions within their local communities. Together, these veterans deploy their military skills and experiences against pressing community needs like homelessness prevention, youth mentoring, literacy, or environmental stewardship while restoring the sense of purpose and accomplishment, esprit- de-corps, and team-based environment that is familiar to them from the military.

Who can join a Service Platoon?

Platoons are forming to serve the 45% of post 9/11 veterans who are struggling to transition to civilian life. Veterans of all generations, as well as active-duty and reservists/National Guard members, are invited to join platoons as we believe they have an important role to play in helping this generation transition successfully.

What will I do as a Platoon Member?

A Platoon consists of over 50 veterans in one community, working together at the local level to take on a big community challenge, like hunger, homelessness, or mentoring troubled youth. Led by veterans who are involved in community non-profit and service work, Platoons organize monthly volunteer and networking opportunities and partner with community and veterans organizations, local companies and area volunteers to have a positive, lasting impact on challenging issues facing their city.

The Mission Continues has historically focused on serving the post-9/11 generation of veterans, do platoons change that?

Our central focus is on serving the post-9/11 generation of veterans by helping them focus their talents and skills on a new mission, providing them with a new unit and community connections, and helping them identify a new theater of operations where they can put their skills to work. This generation of veterans is unique – an all-volunteer force that is personally driven and compelled to serve others; it’s this spirit of service that makes The Mission Continues model effective and successful. While platoons will have members from all generations of veterans, we envision that the core leadership of each platoon will be post-9/11 veterans who are fueled by the fire to continue serving.

How do Service Platoons help communities?

This generation of veterans is unique – an all-volunteer force that is personally driven and compelled to serve others; it’s this spirit of service that makes The Mission Continues model effective and successful. using the teamwork, leadership, and initiative they learned in the military, teams of veterans can take on missions that ordinary volunteers can’t handle.

The Mission Continues Phoenix Platoon is fighting to end veteran homelessness in the city by getting every homeless veteran into supportive housing. The San Diego Platoon is building community gardens and teaching kids about healthy eating. Future Platoons may mentor at-risk youth, build houses for families in need, or build new trails in local parks. Missions will change and evolve over time – it’s up to you and your fellow veterans to decide how you’ll serve.

Who Leads a Platoon?

Platoon Leaders are post-9/11 veterans who have proven that they know how to solve tough problems and lead volunteers. Platoon Leaders are responsible for recruiting Platoon Members, selecting the most impactful local projects to accomplish their missions, and coordinating with The Mission Continues. They’re leading a movement of veterans reporting for duty in communities across the country.

You can check The Mission Continues website for a full list of active and upcoming Service Platoons. Those that sign up will receive regular updates on the growing Platoon movement. www.missioncontinues.org/service-platoons

What about non-military community members – is there a way for the average person on the street to get involved? What about organizations and companies?

Yes – like with the Fellowship program, Mission Continues Service Platoons are designed to bring veterans and the community together for the good of both populations. Monthly volunteer and networking events will be open to anyone who wants to come out and lend a hand. Platoons will also be seeking strategic partnerships with individuals, community organizations and local companies who share their vision and dedication to the mission.

What do you hope the platoons will accomplish? How will you know they’ve been successful?

We want this to be the most successfully integrated generation of veterans in history, and ensure that their legacy is one of service and action. Our goal is that by 2018 we will have engaged 100,000 veterans by providing a meaningful service experience as part of their successful transition from the military.